Piano construction



Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,549

H. PALEY PIANO CONSTRUCTION Filed April 9, 1928 INVENTOR HERMAN PALEYATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES mm! PM, 01' m YORK, N. Y.

Y unto CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed April 9, 1088. Serial Io. 268,603.

This invention relates to piano construction.

In the standard construction of grand {)1- anos, the top lid for thepiano is usua ly made in two sections, a rear section adapted to beraised and maintained in raised position, and a front section hinged tothe rear section, which must be ra sed, and folded back against the rearsection, in order to make available the music rack. Th s constructionhas presented many difficulties and disadvantages. Children haveexperienced difficulty and inconvenience because of the comparativelyheavy weight of the hinged front section which they must lift to makeavailable the music rack. When large volume is desired, the rear sectionin order to be kept in raised position had to be lifted up together withthe front section which had been folded thereover. There results inaddition to the heavy weight to be lifted, an unsightly appearance dueto the double section. Any decorative articles such as lamps,photographs and the like on the piano have heretofore had to be removedto allow the lifting of both the rear and front sections.

It is the general object of this invention to overcome and remove thedifficulties and disadvantages aforementioned, by the provision of asimple, neat and comparatively cheap piano top construction which shallbe practical and efficient to a high degree.

Another object of this invention is to provide a music rest which formspart of the front cover of the piano.

further object is to provide a music rack which may be positioned foruse without necessitating the raising of the front top section of thepiano.

A still further object is to provide a music rack which has a slidingconnection in the front top section of the piano.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemlified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scopeof application will be indicated in the followin claims.

n the accompanying drawin in which is shown one of the various possib eillustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a grand piano showing the rack inposition for use. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1 Fig. 3 isa section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Referring in detail to the drawin 10desigiiates a grand piano having a ront top section 11 which may befixed to the side walls 11 of the piano, a rear lid 12, and the usualkeyboard cover 13. Ordinarily the music rack is disposed beneath thefront section which is hinged to the rear section and has to be liftedso that the music rack may be arranged in operative position. Inaccordance with the present invention the music rack 14 is made part ofthe top section 11 and the latter need not be hinged to the rear lid 12which is shown in Fig. 1 in raised position and supported by the usualoblique support 15.

Preferably the rear edge of the front section 11 is cut away as at 11 toprovide a shoulder or ledge for the rear section, so the latter mayoverlap the former, and rest on said ledge, thus providing a neat anddust proof junction between the two top sections.

The top front cover section 11 may be provided with an opening 16 havingsubstantially the contour of back board or panel 17 of the music rackwhich is somewhat thinner than the section 11 and has a bevel edge 18 atits front end so that when the rack is not in use the backboard 17 maybe swung down to cover the opening 16, the bevel edge 18 contacting withthe bevel edge 19 in the backboard, thus providing a dust proof topcover for the piano, showing a smooth surface at the top. The panel 17is hinged as shown at 21 to a cross member 20' having a sinuous groovefor resting music sheets, the cross member 20 having extension 20 ateach end adapted to slidein grooves 22 in the cover 11 at opposite sidesof the opening 16 as shown in Fig. 2. A metal eye piece may be hinged tothe front of the panel 17 as at 17 for opening the panel which may beswung on hinge 21, the bottom portion 23 of the panel striking againstthe back of the cross member for limiting the opening of the panel andfor supporting the panel in open position. The entire rack may be movedforward or rearward to any desired position, the extension 20' of thecross member sliding in grooves 22.

The top cover 11 .is provided with an under cut portion 24 adjacent thefront ends of the opening 16, to allow the cross member 20 to slide intosaid under cut, thus allowing the rack to be moved forwardly until thepanel strikes the bevel 19.

It is to be noted that the grooves 22 may be cut to extend rearwardlyonly to a point flush with hinge 21, so that backward movement of therack is limited to a point where the cross member reaches the end of thegroove and the panel 17 when swung down at that position will exactlycover the opening 16 as shown in Fig. 3. For better supporting thebackboard 17 when in down turned position, a cross piece 25 may beprovided.

It will be seen that a person Wishing to use the music rack need merelyswing open the panel and then pull the rack forward to any desiredposition, in which position the rack is held due to the extensions 20'in groove 22, and the front cover section 11 need not be lifted. Thefixed front top section 11 afi'ords'a support for any decorativeobjects, so that the general arrangement on the piano top may be leftmore or less undisturbed, even when the rear top section is lifted foraffording greater volume.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and'as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is-to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecureby Letters Patent 1. A top cover for a grand piano, said coverhaving an opening therein, and a music rack attached to said top andadapted to cover said opening.

2. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an openin therein, and amusic rack for said piano s idably connected to said cover at saidopening.

3. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an opening, and a musicrack for said piano adapted to cover said opening, said rack being adjustably mounted on said cover.

4. A top cover for pianos, having a music rack formed as part of saidcover, said rack being adjustable with respect to said cover. 5. A topcover for a piano, said cover having an opening therein, and a musicrack comprising a panel hinged to across mem her, said cross memberhavin a sliding connection with said cover at sai opening.

6. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an opening, a music rackfor said piano, said rack com rising a panel hinged to across memberslidably connected to said cover, said panel adapted to cover saidopening when not in use.

7. A top cover for a grand piano, said cover having an opening, a musicrack for said piano, said rack comprising a panel. hinged to a crossmember, said cross mem, her having a slidin connection with said coverand said pane having the contour of said opening for covering the latterwhen not in use.

8. A top cover for grand pianos, said cover having a substantiallyrectangular opening therein, a music rack comprisin a panel hinged to across member, said cross member having a sliding connection with saidcover at said opemng, and an under cut portion at the front side of saidopening adapted to receive said cross memher when said rack is pulled toextreme forward position.

9. A' top cover for grand pianos, said cover having an openin therein, amusic rack adjustably mounte on said to and adapted to cover saidopening, and means on said top for limiting movement of said rack withrespect thereto.

10. The combination with agi'and piano having a top cover section, of amusic rack for said piano, said rack forming a part of said coversection, said rack being adjustable with respect to said section. v

l1. In combination with a grand piano having separate front and rear topcover sec tions, of a'music rack for said piano, said.- rack formingpart of said front top cover section, whereby said rear section maybeopened independently of the front section,

when said music rack is in use.

12. In combination with a piano having a top cover section, said sectionhaving an inclosed opening therein, of a music rack connected to saidsection at said opening and having the contour of said opening forcovering the latter when not in use.

13. In piano construction, a top cover for the piano comprising a rearlid portion and a front, cover portion, the former being movablerelative -to.. and independently of thelatter, said front cover portionhaving an ogenin therein and a member slidable anda apte to bepositioned in said opening .to serve as a music rack and normally coversaid opening when not in use. I

In testimony wherof I afiix my signature.

HERMAN PALEY.

